Yoga is (at least) over 5000 years old! While the astonishing amounts of money made from yoga have only happened in the last 10 years, the practice has been around for much longer. The first record of the word yoga was in the Rig Veda (the first of the four ancient yogic texts known as the Vedas).
While it can help improve your physical body, it also boasts the mental health benefits from meditation, mindful breathing, and mental imagery. Combining these mental activities with physical movement can boost your mood, increase your mindfulness, and improve your self-compassion. Of all yoga practitioners, 72% are female! There are many types of yoga. Hatha (a combination of many styles) is one of the most popular styles. It is a more physical type of yoga rather than a still, meditative form. Hatha yoga focuses on pranayamas (breath-controlled exercises). These are followed by a series of asanas (yoga postures), which end with savasana (a resting period).
The goal during yoga practice is to challenge yourself physically, but not to feel overwhelmed. At this "edge," the focus is on your breath while your mind is accepting and calm. Yoga develops inner awareness. It focuses your attention on your body's abilities at the present moment. It helps develop breath and strength of mind and body. It's not about physical appearance. Yoga studios typically don't have mirrors. This is so people can focus their awareness inward rather than how a pose — or the people around them — looks. Surveys have found that those who practiced yoga were more aware of their bodies than people who didn't practice yoga. They were also more satisfied with and less critical of their bodies. For these reasons, yoga has become an integral part in the treatment of eating disorders and programs that promote positive body image and self-esteem.
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